[1] Reviewer:rivergirl Date:April 6, 2006 5:50 PMThis is very very lovely, Altariel. Well-thought out and evocative. I enjoyed it.

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[2] Reviewer:bardess Date:April 6, 2006 10:13 PMMasterful,subtle and allegorical! Is Rahksandhar a distant relative of Andrahar's? Just asking.. I never cease to marvel at the interconnected stories spun by you and Isabeau.

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[3] Reviewer:Isabeau Date:April 6, 2006 10:20 PMA very nice vignette! Poor Aragorn, trapped between political necessity and his own generous spirit. I like the young Harardrim lord and hope to see more of him. And I like that Faramir is a very real presence here for all that he's in the background.

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[4] Reviewer:Larner Date:April 7, 2006 8:35 PMA most thoughtful tale, one in which the King of Gondor is reminded that others would be as he is. However, in the end, if he gives this one what he asks, is not the world richer in the end?

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[5] Reviewer:Raksha The Demon Date:April 9, 2006 8:39 PMFascinating look at Fourth Age Gondor and its two most hunky-er-wise&noble lords. I love the way Aragorn and Faramir's relationship is depicted here; mutual respect, but they are very comfortable together and have obviously enjoyed a long friendship.

The young Prince Raksandhar - hmm, that name is familiar. I would love to see the story of his first meeting Faramir and the establishment of a friendship between them.

And Faramir has a summer house! And he's still beating Aragorn at chess - yay! (pardon the inner fangurl, she has to get out and squeee occasionally)

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“Yes,” I agreed. “He beats me playing white, and then he beats me playing black.”

I wonder if Aragorn will be able to convince the lords of Gondor to relent? Or will they have to learn the hard way that helping the enemy to rebuild after a war leads to peace and prosperity for all, vs. the hatred and resentment (and eventual rebellion) that comes from grinding them into the dust?

Definitely want to see more of your young Haradrim! He seems wise beyond his years. Thanks for sharing this with us!

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[7] Reviewer:Azalais Date:April 15, 2006 8:54 PMThis is such a little jewel of a piece - so crafted and polished - but as usual it's those devastating little one-liners of yours, just slipped in unremarked, that really took my breath.

"After God the Giver of Gifts died..." *Whoah*. Yes, of course, if you served Sauron willingly (and the Haradrim weren't slaves, were they?) that's what happened at the end of the Ring War.

And perhaps only men of the greatness of spirit of Aragorn, and Faramir, and Raksandhar have the vision to see that it is possible to be as diametrically opposed as that, as different as the black pieces from the white, and yet identify on an even deeper level. (Am I right in thinking that one reason Aragorn can't refuse Raksandhar is that R. reminds him of himself, many many years ago?) "Such a young man..."

Only thing I did wonder: is FA 25 late enough for this fic? Raksandhar makes it sound as though the dark times between the Ring War and his birth lasted long, but it could only have been 4 or 5 years until he was conceived. Would the chaos in Harad have lasted longer than that? I need to read some more FA Haradric fic, clearly...

Oh, and I love Faramir checkmating Aragorn. In diplomacy as on the chessboard...

This is fab, thank you for sharing it.

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